Vertical curve section for powerdriven and free-wheeling trolley conveyers



June 6, 1950 A. G. ROSE 2,510,318

VERTICAL CURVE SECTION FOR POWER-DRIVEN AND FREEWHEELING TROLLEY CONVEYERS Filed June 10, 1946 INVENTOR; Amman/6. Ros:

Patented June 6, 1950 TENT OFFICE UNITED STATES DRIVEN AND FREE-WHEELING TROLLEY CONVEYERS I Andrew G. Rose, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Jervis B. Webb Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application June 10, 1946, Serial No. 675,690

9 Claims.

This invention relates to overhead trolley conveyors and more particularly to that type thereof known in the art as a power and free trolley conveyor wherein the load is carried by trolley brackforce of gravity acting on the load causes it to tend to travel faster than the driving chain, the same tendency for opposing dogs to slide past each other is substantially increased over that ets whose wheels run on a pair of opposed channel 5 existing on a level conveyor line. track members and where a power driven chain is This problem is a very serious one on sections carried by bracket members whose wheels run of the track which may be inclined upward or along an I beam track member spaced above the downward, both because of the increased tendopposed channel load carrying track members, ency 0f t e driving and driven dogs o Slide P t the bracket members which carry the power chain each other under the increased forces between also being provided each with a driving dog to them, and because of the safety and damage engage and propel the load carrying trolley brackhazard incident to any such slippage. If such ets along their line f trav l, slippage does occur on an incline and the load be- This type of construction is frequently used comes free to gain momentum down such incline, where it is desired to have a main conveyor power the p l dan r to t l d r p y a driven line with branch lines switching off such Considerablemain line over which the load carrying trolley Th p in ipal object f t p t inv nti n brackets are pushed by hand. In order to permit is to provide a means for assuring the positive the load carrying trolley brackets to be switched n a m nt of driving and driven dogs u off the mainline, 11-, necessary t t t power out all sections of the conveyor track where driving means be separable from such load carchan in level c rying trolley brackets at the switching points. A Another Object of the invention s to pro means frequently used to accomplish this is to such means without interfering with the freeprovide the load carrying bracket members with d m of driving and driven dogs to leave each a dog r dogs t di u wardly through the other at switches in the level portions of the opening between the opposed channel load cartr ckrying track members and in position to be en- These and other objects of the invention will gaged and driven by the driving dogs that exappear more clearly from the following detailed tend downwardly from the bracket members description of a particular embodiment of the which carry the power chain. As the construcinvention and from an examination of the drawtion is such that the driving and driven dogs ings forming a part hereof and wherein, are free to leave each other in a lateral direction, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the conveyor the load carrying bracket members may be freely tracks Where a Change m a lower to a er switched on to branch lines. level occurs along the conveycrs line of travel. While this system is generally satisfactory for igure 2 is a sim w f the c v y r tracks level conveyor systems, a problem frequently at the p int Where after the track reaches the arises where the loads must be raised or lowered higher l v t Continues along a Substantially as from floor to floor in a plant. Since the drivhorizontal p in nd driven dogs are normally made as un- Figure 3 is a cross section taken alOng the line machined forgings, the engaging faces have a 3 o F e 2. certain amount of draft angle (unless machined) Figure 4 is a plan V w f a portion of the lower and as the driving dogs are usually carried by load supporting track as seen from the line 4-4 trolley brackets which are so constructed and of F re supported by their supporting tracks in a man- Figure 5 is an end and side elevation of a drivner permitting a substantial lateral swinging of m g. said pusher dogs which are carried at the lower Referrin to Figure 1 nd 2, h power track ends f said brackets, th dogs have ark d it is an I beam structural member and the load tendency to slide laterally past each other when carrying track II is a pair of opposed structural exceptionally heavy driving forces exist between channel members. The I beam l0 and channel them. While the force required to push the load tracks I! are supported in properly spaced relacarrying trolley brackets along a level line is relationship with each other by a series of yokes I2 tively mall and is ordinarily not great enough which are in turn suitably supported to the buildto cause such slippage, it may become extremely ing structure by means not shown in the drawlarge where the track is ascending to a new level. ing. Likewise, where th track is descending and the The load carrying bracket member I3 is pro-.

vided with four trolley wheels It for running along the track provided by the channel members I I. A pair of dogs !E=a and I?) (see Figures 1 and 2) are pivotally mounted at either end of the bracket member I3 with spring means for urging them into a position where their upper ends will extend through the opening between the upper flanges 2-3 of the channels II Such dogs are also provided with lower ends Ida and ISb for limiting the rotation of their upper ends away from the center of the bracket, but permitting such rotation against the spring action toward the center of the bracket.

A pair of trolley bracket members I! are each provided with a trolley wheel I8 for riding on the lower flanges of the I beam track I and such brackets support a driving chain IQ of th Keystone type. Spacer bars 32 mounted between the lower ends of bracket members I'l' serve to hold such ends in supporting engagement with u the side bars of the center link of the driving chain 19. The spacer bars 32 are formed at their lower ends to provide a yoke into which the upper end of the pusher dog 22 may be inserted and held in position by a pin 33 passing through an aperture 3| in the driving dog. The lower edges 34 of the spacer bars 32 seat against a shoulder 30 :on either side of the pusher dog 22 and thereby prevent rotation of the pusher dog 22 about the axis of the pin 33. The spring means mentioned in the mounting of dogs I511 and E5?) to bracket member I3 permits the entrance of the pusher dog 22 between the dogs I5a and I522 from either end of said bracket member :3, and when the pusher dog 22 is in a position between the dogs l5a and I 5b, the limiting means I 6a and 5617 provide for driving engagement between the pusher dog 22 and the dog a in one direction and the dog [5b in the other direction.

While traveling along the normal level course of the conveyor line, the lower surface of the pusher dog 22 is located above the upper surface 23 of the channel members II, as shown in Figure 4, thereby permitting the load carrying bracket member I3 to be switched off to a branch track.

At the entrance to an inclined section of the conveyor track, as shown in Figure l, the upper I beam track I I3 is provided with a short vertical downward bend or dip 2a which reduces the relative distance between the I beam track It and the channel track I I sulficiently to bring the lower end of the pusher dog 22 down between th opposed upper flanges 23 of the channel track I I whereby lateral movement of th pusher dog 22 is limited by the edges of such upper flanges. Just ahead of the bend 24 in the I beam track l0, two guiding members 25 are located on the upper surface of each of the channel members II of the lower track. The upper surface 26 of the guide members 25 extends sufficiently above the upper surface of the channel members I I to lie above the lower surface of the pusher dog 22 in normal running position, and the inner surface 21 of the entrance ends 28 of the guide members 25 are curved outwardly for a distance exceeding the maximum possible lateral displacement of the pusher dog 22 from the center line of the conveyor track.

The guide members 25 thus serve to center the pusher dog 22 as it enters between them and, due to the travel of the trolle wheel I8 of its bracket I1 down the dip 24, the lower end of the pusher dog 22 will be positioned between the upper flanges of the channel members I I. At the far end of the inclined track where a new level is reached,

members in a manner whereby said load carrying as shown in Figure 2, the I beam member In is provided with a vertical upward bend 29 which increases the relative distance between the I beam l6 and the channel members II to their normal running position and so that the lower surface of pusher dog 22 again liesabove the upper surface 23 of channel members I I.

Since the combined width of the pusher dog 22 and driven dog I 50. or I5?) is substantially greater than the width of the open space between the upper flanges 23 of channel members II, it is impossible for the pusher dog 22 to move laterally sufficient to pass either of the driven dogs [5a or I517 while it is positioned between such upper flanges.

Thus, it is seen that by an extremely simple and economical means, positive engagement of the driving and driven dogs is provided at inclined sections of the track where forces between such dogs become relatively large and where the safety and property damage hazards incident to the possible disengagement of such driving and driven dogs are at a maximum, while retaining the feature in this type of conveyor system which permits switching of load carrying brackets to branch tracks at all level sections where the force between driving and driven dogs is relatively small. 7

While the above description relates to a particular embodiment of the present invention, it is clear that a number of departures from the specific construction are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as described in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a power and free conveyor system of the type wherein load carrying members run along a conveyor track comprising a pair of laterally opposed spaced channel members and such load carrying members are provided with driven dogs that extend upwardly between and beyond the upper flanges of such channel members and where a powered driving means carried by an upper track disposed vertically over said conveyor track is provided with driving dogs for engaging said upwardly extending driven dogs, the lower surface of such driving dogs being normally positioned above the upper surface of said channel members in a manner whereby said load carrying members may be switched from said conveyor track onto branch tracks, means for insuring continuous driving contact between said driving dogs and said driven dogs at sections of the conveyor line inclined to a horizontal plane, said means comprising a vertical downward dip in said upper track as it nears such inclined sections to cause said driving dogs to be moved downwardly to extend between the upper flanges of said channel members, the distance betwveen said upper flanges being less than the combined width of said driving and driven dogs. I

2. In a power and free conveyor system of the type wherein load carrying members run along a conveyor track comprising a pair of laterally opposed spaced channel members and such load carrying members are provided with driven dogs that extend upwardly between and beyond the upper flanges of such channel members and where a powered driving means carried by an upper track disposed vertically over said conveyor track is provided with driving dogs for engaging said upwardly extending driven dogs, th lower surface of such driving dogs being normally posi-v tioned above the uppersurface of said channel members may be switched from said conveyor track onto branch tracks, means for insuring continuous driving contact between said driving dogs and said driven dogs at sections of the conveyor line inclined to a horizontal plane, said means comprising a vertical downwarddip in said upper trackas it"nears such inclined sectionsto. cause said driving dogs to be moveddownwardly to extend between the upper flanges of said channel members, the distance between said upper flanges being less than the combined width of said driving and driven dogs, and opposed guide members secured to said upper flanges and substantially co-extensive in length with said dip to hold said driving dogs in alignment with the space between said flanges as said dogs are lowered.

3. In a power and free conveyor system of the type wherein load carrying members run along a conveyor track comprising a pair of laterally opposed spaced channel members and such load carrying members are provided with driven dogs that extend upwardly between and beyond the upper flanges of such channel members and where a powered driving means carried by an upper track disposed vertically over said conveyor track is provided with driving dogs for engaging said upwardly extending driven dogs, the lower surface of such driving dogs being normally positioned above the upper surface of said channel members in a manner whereby said load car ying members may be switched from said conveyor track onto branch tracks, means for insuring continuous driving contact between said driving dogs and said driven dogs at sections of the conveyor line inclined to a horizontal plane, said means comprising a vertical downward dip in said upper track as it nears such inclined sections to cause said driving dogs to be moved downwardly to extend between the upper flanges of said channel members, th distance between said upper flanges being less than the combined width of said driving and driven dogs, and opposed guide members secured to said upper flanges and substantially co-extensive in length with said dip to hold said driving dogs in alignment with the space between said flanges as said dogs are lowered, said guide members being constructed of angle sections, one leg of which is secured to the upper horizontal surface of said upper flanges and the other leg of which for the major length of said dip is aligned with the inner edge of said flange.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 2 in which said guide members are flared outwardly at their entrance end to facilitate the entry of said driving dogs into the space between said guide members.

5. In a power and free conveyor system of the type wherein load carrying members run along a conveyor track comprising a pair of laterally opposed spaced channel members and such load carrying members are provided with driven dogs that extend upwardly between and beyond the upper flanges of such channel members and where a powered driving means carried by an upper track disposed vertically over said conveyor track is provided with driving dogs for engaging said upwardly extending driven dogs, the lower surface of such driving dogs being normally positioned above the upper surface of said channel members in a manner whereby said load carrying members may be switched from said conveyon track onto branch tracks, means for insuring con tinuous driving contact between said driving dogs and said driven dogs at sections of the conveyor line inclined to a horizontal plane, said means comprising a vertical downward dip in said upper track as it nears such inclined sections to cause said driving dogs'to be moved downwardl to extend between the upper flanges of said channel members, the distance between said upper flanges being less than the combined width of said driving and driven dogs, and an upward inclination of said upper track at the end of each of said sections to restore the normal positioning of said dogs.

6. In an overhead power and free trolley conveyor system wherein laterally disengageable driving means are provided between load supporting trolley ass mblies adapted to travel along a conveyor track and'an independently supported drive chain in a manner whereby lateral switching of the trolley assemblies away from the power line and onto a free spur line or vice versa may be accomplished with automatic disengagement or engagement of the power drive, means for positively preventing lateral disengagement throughout limited sections of the conveyor line characterized by a relatively closer spacing of said drive chain and said conveyor track at said limited sections than prevails at other sections of said conveyor line, and laterally confining surfaces rendered operative throughout said limited sections by said closer spacing to limit the relative lateral positions of drive and driven mem bers within a space less than that required for disengagement.

'7. In an overhead power and free trolley conveyor system wherein laterally disengageable driving means are provided between load supporting trolley assemblies adapted to travel along a conveyor track and an independently supported drive chain in a manner whereby lateral switching of the trolley assembli s away from the power line and onto a free spur line or vice versa may be accomplished with automatic disengagement or engagement of the power drive, means for positively preventing lateral disengagement throughout limited sections of the conveyor line characterized by a spacing of said drive chain and said conveyor track at said limited sections adapted to bring the driving means associated with said power chain into a position relative to, portions of said conveyor track such as' to positively restrict the lateral movement of such driving means to less than that required for disengagement.

8. In an overhead power and free trolley conveyor system wherein laterally disengageable driving means are provided between load supporting trolley assemblies adapted to travel along a conveyor track and an independently supported drive chain, said conveyor track comprising a pair of opposed channel members, a drive receiving member associated with said trolley assemblies projecting above the upper webs of said channel members, a drive delivering member associated with said drive chain, the lower extremity of which is normally above the upper level of said webs, and means for positively preventing lateral disengagement throughout limited sections of the conveyor line characterized by a relatively closer than normal spacing of said drive chain and said conveyor track at said sections such as to cause said drive delivering member to extend between said webs and wherein the combined width of said drive delivering and receiving members is less than the space between said webs.

9. A power and fre trolley conveyor system employing separable driving and driven members 7 and vertical curves in the track wherein the drive R C S C T D is disengageable 0n horizontal portions of the The following references are of record in the track through relativ lateral displacement of file of this patent; said drivin and driven members and wherein disengagemint of the drive is positively prevented 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS on inclined sections of the track, the track being Number Name Date arranged at said inclined sections to confine the 1,920,774- Webb Aug. 1,1933 paths of said driving and. driven members to a 1,921,109 Webb et a1 Aug. 8, I933 transverse space having a; width less than the 1,949,691 Nehrer et'al Mar. 6, 1934 combined width of said driving and driven 1.0

members.

ANDREW G. ROSE. 

